Manufactured Shower Pan

ABSTRACT

A manufactured shower pan includes a drain, a molded waterproof liner having a properly sloped floor and extending side walls, a honeycomb liner support, a solid curb system and a processed dry mud pack to provide aeration and drainage connected to the weep system in the drain.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from copending U.S. provisional patentapplication 60/928,007 filed May 7, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described below relate to the field of construction andmore specifically to the field manufactured shower pans.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

Historically shower pan installation required several days to accomplishand depended on the skill of the craftsmen to not leak. The decrease inskill in the construction trades and the pressure to cut costs aremaking manufactured showers and pans more attractive. However,conventional manufactured showers and shower pans are either tooflexible for ceramic tiles to remain attached over time or do notprovide sufficient drainage beneath the tile and mold and fungusflourish.

SUMMARY

A manufactured shower pan includes a drain, a molded waterproof linerhaving a properly sloped floor and extending side walls, a honeycombliner support, a curb system and a processed dry mud pack to provideaeration and drainage connected to the weep system in the drain.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross section view of a manufactured shower pan.

FIG. 2A is a top view of a solid shower curb.

FIG. 2B is a cross section of the solid shower curb of FIG. 2A takenalong A-A.

FIG. 3A is a top view of a sloped shower liner support.

FIG. 3B is a cross section of the sloped shower liner support of FIG. 3Ataken along B-B.

FIG. 4A is a top view of a shower liner.

FIG. 4B is a cross section of the shower liner of FIG. 4A taken alongC-C.

FIG. 5 is a cross section view of a manufactured shower pan with tilesand sewer line attached.

FIG. 6 is a cross section view of a manufactured shower pan with a dualside curb.

FIG. 7A is a top view of the dual side curb and shower pan liner of themanufactured shower pan of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7B is a cross section of the dual side curb and shower pan liner ofFIG. 7A taken along D-D.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

A manufactured shower pan 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a solidor unitary curb 12 to support and contain sloped pan support 14.Together, curb 12 and pan support 14, support pan liner 15 which is thewaterproof liner that includes drain connection 16 that extends throughfloor 18. Pan liner 15 supports and contains mud pack 20. Mud pack 20may be secured to the pan liner during manufacturing or installed in thefield.

Curb 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B. Curb 12 is composed of threeor more sides such as sides 21 that are ideally formed together as anysuitable polygon enclosing the shower floor. Shape 12F of the showerfloor may adopt any suitable size and shape. In an alternateconfiguration, curb 12 may be formed of separate side elements that maysimplify manufacturing and shipping. The separate side elements mayinclude complementary engagement elements at each end to engage adjacentcurb sides. Curb 12 may only be used on one side of the waterproof linerand the remaining two or more sides of the polygon may be vertical toblend into a vertical shower wall. Generally, the curb and the pan linerwill be square or generally rectangular.

Pan support 14 is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Pan support 14provides sufficiently rigid support to pan liner 15 to enable attachmentof ceramic tiles to pan liner 15 and the pan support will preventflexing of the pan liner which will crack and dislodge the ceramic tilesor other surface covering. Pan support 14 may be used to compensate fora floor that is not level and also includes slope 22 to permit drainageof water in the shower pan. Slope 22 affords drainage to drain opening24. Support 14 is shown composed of numerous adjacent hexagonal cellssuch as cell 26 to form a honeycomb lattice or pattern to providelightweight, and rigid support for pan liner 15. Any other supportconfiguration may be used such as cylinders, open or closed cell foam,such as a rectangular or triangular lattice or any other configuration.Pan support 14 may be produced as a separate element as discussed, or itmay be formed as an integral element of pan liner 15. Alternatively, pansupport 14 may be secured to pan liner 15 during manufacturing using anysuitable technique such heat or sonic welding, adhesives or co molding.

Pan liner 15 is a waterproof element as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Theshape of floor 15F corresponds to shape 12F of curb 12. Drain connection16 is integral with pan liner 15 to prevent leakage. Lower drainconnection 16L may be a slip connection to a drain pipe or may bethreaded. Drain connection 16 also includes weep paths 27 for conductingmoisture from mud pack 20 into the drain pipe. Floor 15F of a pan linersuch as pan liner 15 includes slope 28 corresponding to support slope22.

Curb shape 12S may alternatively be formed into pan liner 15 creatingcurb space 15C. Curb space 15C may be filled during manufacturing orduring field installation with any suitable material such as highdensity expanding foam, PVC foams or other suitable fillers.

Mud pack 20 is a dry, generally planar element sized and sloped to fitwithin liner floor 15F and provide a substrate for attachment of ceramictiles. Mud pack 20 provides a path for water absorbed through tile groutand thin set used to attach ceramic tiles to pass into drain 16.

Referring now to FIG. 5, shower pan 30 may be installed by setting curb31 in a desired location such as a shower site and securing it to floor32 and or any adjacent walls. A plumber should have already located adrain pipe such as drain pipe 33 at or near the center of the showersite to be occupied by shower pan 30. Pan support 34 is then locatedwithin curb 31 and drain pipe 33 should be visible through drain access34D. Pan support 34 may be secured to floor 32 and or curb 31 foradditional stability using any suitable technique such as fasteners oradhesive. Pan liner 35 is placed to cover curb 31 and pan support 34with drain connector 35D engaging drain pipe 33. Pan liner 35 may besecured to curb 31 and pan support 34 for additional stability using anysuitable technique such as fasteners or adhesive. Mud pack 36 is thenlocated within the floor of pan liner 35. The preceding steps may all beperformed within a single day and upon securing mud pack 36 to the panliner, any suitable surface covering such as stone, slate and or tilessuch as tiles 37 may be set in the shower pan and the shower walls. Thistechnique permits a shower pan to be set and tiled in a single day.

The drain connector 35D has been discussed as centered in pan liner 35.Any suitable orientation of the drain connection may be used as long asthe pan liner is formed with the drain connection in the predeterminedlocation.

Alternate shower pan 40 of FIGS. 6, 7A and 7B is constructed asdiscussed above with curb space 42 extending along only two sides, sides43 and 45 of the shower floor 40F and an integral pan support andfactory installed mud pack. One or more sides of a shower pan willinclude a curb or curb space. Curb space 42 is filled at the factorywith a high density form. Pan liner sides 46, 47, 48 and 49 are notengaging a curb or including a curb space and are vertical to engage avertical shower wall and enable tile from the shower wall to extend in agenerally unbroken plane to the shower floor. In this configuration, panliner 44 is a six-sided polygon enclosing shower floor 40F.

Installation of alternate shower pan 40 may be accomplished by locatingpan 40 with drain connector 40D engaging drain 54. Pan 40 may be securedto floor 53 and pan liner sides 46, 47, 48 and 49 may be secured towalls such as wall 51. If curb space 42 is filled at the factory and mudpack 52 is installed at the factory, pan 40 will be ready to supportinstallation of tile or stone or other surface covering.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have beendescribed in reference to the environment in which they were developed,they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Otherembodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from thespirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.

1. A manufactured shower pan comprising: a curb forming one or moresides of a generally horizontal polygon, the polygon oriented to enclosea drain; a honeycomb liner support within the curb providing verticalsupport and drainage slope for a molded waterproof liner; a moldedwaterproof liner resting on the honeycomb liner support forming awaterproof floor and sides with suitable drainage slope and a connectionto the drain, the connection including a weep system; and a processeddry mud pack engaging the molded waterproof liner to provide aerationand drainage connected to the weep system in the connection to thedrain.
 2. The manufactured shower pan of claim 1 wherein the curb formstwo sides of a rectangular polygon enclosing a drain.
 3. Themanufactured shower pan of claim 1 wherein the curb is formed of highdensity foam injected into a curb space in the pan liner.
 4. Themanufactured shower pan of claim 1 wherein the honeycomb liner supportis formed together with the pan liner as one piece.
 5. A manufacturedshower pan for engaging a drain through a floor, comprising: arectangular curb secured to the floor enclosing a shower floor includingthe drain; a support frame within the rectangular curb, the supportframe having a drain access port for exposing the drain; a pan linerforming a waterproof layer over the rectangular curb and the supportframe, the pan liner having a drain connector for connecting to thedrain; and a mud pack secured within the pan liner.
 6. The manufacturedshower pan of claim 5 wherein the support frame comprises: a honeycomblattice support frame within the rectangular curb, the support framehaving a drain access port for exposing the drain.
 7. The manufacturedshower pan of claim 5 wherein the support frame comprises: a circlepattern lattice support frame within the rectangular curb, the supportframe having a drain access port for exposing the drain.
 8. Themanufactured shower pan of claim 5 wherein the support frame comprises:a rectangular lattice support frame within the rectangular curb, thesupport frame having a drain access port for exposing the drain.
 9. Amethod of installing a manufactured shower pan in a shower sitecontaining a drain comprising the steps: securing a curb on one or moresides of the shower site; securing a pan support within the shower siteadjacent the curb; and locating a pan liner having a drain connector anda mud pack over the curb and the pan support with the drain connectorengaging the drain.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step oflocating a pan liner further comprises the steps: locating a pan linerhaving a drain connector over the curb and the pan support with thedrain connector engaging the drain; and securing a mud pack within thepan liner.